To Have A Prerogative
by JohnUhLyn
Summary: My great-grandmother, great-aunt, grandmother, and mother always told me: "One day, when you least expect it, something will come your way and it'll shake up everything in your life; tossing things sideways, backwards, and upside down. Remember your prerogative and always face South." How was facing South supposed to help me fend off a shape-shifting boy who thinks I'm "The One"?
1. Chapter 1

It's so weird to publish something all of a sudden because I've pretty much been out of commission for an _eternity_. Anyway, I found this in my laptop and decided to put it up just because I kind of like the way I was starting to set up the story. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** _I don't own anything but my own characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Senior year kind of sucks right now.

I scowled at the offending grade on my essay, hoping to burn a hole through it so I wouldn't have to see it anymore. Beside me I could hear my two best friends snickering at the ridiculous expression I probably had on. I'd been told more than once that my angry expressions were about as menacing as a kitten.

"It's just a C Josy." Andrew said, an annoying smirk plastered on his face.

I rolled my eyes and stuffed the paper into my backpack, "I swear to you that Mrs. Sanders has it out for me. Ever since that moment where I corrected her grammar at the beginning of the year, she's been out to get me!".

Ashley laughed, her tinkling laughter gathering some looks to our table. She was the kind of girl that everyone loved and wanted to be friends with, the _Golden Girl_ if you will. Her perfectly curled chestnut brown hair and bright hazel eyes were something of a rarity here in the Reservation, what from being only half Quileute. Ashley had that sun kissed tan most girls would kill for because of her recent summer visit to Spain. The lucky cow.

"You're overreacting, Mrs. Sanders loves everyone." she replied, pulling out some lip gloss from her purse.

"You only say that because she loves you, just like every other teacher in this stupid school." I replied, rolling my eyes at her.

It just so happened that at that moment Mrs. Sanders strolled by. She gave me a dirty look and said, "You watch your mouth young lady, some kids aren't as privileged as you are and have no way of finishing their education."

I gave her a tight lipped smile, "Of course Mrs. Sanders."

She gave me another dirty look, smiled at Ashley and walked away. Ashley smiled back, all perfect hair and white teeth, pretty much sucking up to the bitter old woman.

"What a cow." I muttered under my breath, not sure whether I was insulting Sanders or my butt kissing best friend.

A loud booming laughter from behind caused me to jump a little and I turned around to see who was making so much noise, not that the cafeteria was generally a quiet place during the lunch hour. I rolled my eyes at the table that held the infamous "steroid junkies", also known as "Sam Uley's Gang", and various other nicknames that I could care less about. As if sensing my stare, Collin Littlesea turned around and raised an eyebrow at me. I quickly averted my eyes, turning back around and pretending to rifle through my lunch pack like I was actually looking for something.

"Now look what you've done, those steroid junkies are staring over here now." Andrew mumbled.

I shrugged, "They probably got caught in the trap that is Queen Ashley."

Ashley smirked and did a calculated flick of her hair, "Oh you know it honey!"

Andrew and I glanced at each other before bursting into a fit of giggles. Although Ashley had the aura of a queen bee and even acted like one on certain occasions, we both knew that she was as shy as Kim Conweller before she started dating Jared Thail, one of the first members to join "Sam Uley's Gang". And trust me, that girl was a twenty on a scale of one to ten shyness.

Ashley threw us a dirty look before stabbing her fork into her salad. She was a health freak that one. It wasn't that Ashley was trying to fit the image of a perfect teenage girl, it was just that she genuinely liked feeling healthy and thus her amazing body and great eating habits happened. It was also a lifestyle she was probably forced into seeing as her dad was a health freak himself, owning a gym and everything in the next town over, Forks.

"Josy, can you do me a favor and tell the coach I'm not going to practice today?" Alesha Fuller asked timidly.

The little sophomore girl fidgeted on the spot as I smiled at her, "Yea of course."

"Thanks, my mom kinda sprung on me a last minute babysitting job after school today so…yea."

"Don't worry about it, the coach loves you! He probably won't even care that you skipped today that's how much he loves you."

Alesha blushed a bright red, her tan skin lighting up slightly as she sputtered at my comment. The little sophomore girl thanked me once again and then hurried away to the other side of the cafeteria where her friends were waiting for her. I laughed slightly at her behavior, wondering just how in the hell she was related to Brady Fuller, her older brother a year below me who was also a prominent member of the "Sam Uley gang".

"How is that girl even remotely related to Brady Fuller? She's so sweet and quiet that it's hard to believe she shares blood with that pompous dumbass." Ashley mused, staring at the back of Alesha's head on the other side of the cafeteria.

A loud guffaw sounded behind us and I automatically turned around again. The group of boys referred to as the steroid junkies were all snickering loudly as Brady seemed to sulk. As if once again sensing my stare on the group, this time Seth Clearwater looked up from his laughter to lock eyes with me.

I wouldn't even begin to know how to describe the feelings that crossed his eyes at that moment. Seth's jaw dropped slightly and his expression lightened into one of pure adoration, as if he saw the most beautiful thing on the planet. Those ten seconds of solid eye contact with Seth had somehow set blood on fire and now I felt as if every cell that was rushing through my bloodstream was coated in sleeve of endorphin. My cheeks began to grow hot and my fingertips were beginning to get a tingling sensation as they warmed up as well. If it weren't for the sound of the bell that signaled the end of lunch I felt as if I would burst into flames at any second. I quickly broke eye contact with him and swallowed thickly as the tingling sensations all over my body were still humming.

"Are we still on for froyo after your track practice?" Andrew asked suddenly.

There was a low buzzing in my ears that made me feel slightly lightheaded, almost as if I had sat up too fast from laying down. I closed my eyes tightly and pressed the heel of my palms into my eyes to get rid of the sudden lightheaded feeling.

"Yea, we're still on. We do that every Friday, of course we're gonna go today." I finally replied as I blinked out the colorful dots that appeared in my vision.

Andrew drew his brows together and leaned down to get a better look at my face. I leaned back a little, feeling uncomfortable with the sudden intrusion to my personal space. He squinted his eyes at me and did a quick scan of my face.

"What's wrong with you all of a sudden? You're cheeks look really flushed and I can practically feel your body heat emanating around you."

I let out a breathy laugh and stood up slowly, the tingling was starting to subside so I clasped my hands together and rubbed them, thinking that it might disappear faster if I got my blood flowing.

"Yea, I'm totally fine! Froyo after practice, meet up at Ashley's house, and shit talk until I have to go pick up Bec from her playdate like I do every Friday!"

Ashley and Andrew shared a look before shrugging it off and bidding me farewell once we walked out of the cafeteria. While the two of them had advanced art together, I was on my way to history. Or, as I like to call it, my nap-time class. The minute I walked into the class I knew something was off. I caught my bottom lip between my teeth and started chewing on it, a habit that I tended to do when I felt something wrong was going to happen. After settling in my seat at the front of the class and by the windows, I folded my arms on the desk and laid my head down. Mr. Landess was always at least 15 minutes late to class so I took that time to focus on blocking out all the noise and taking my first short nap for that period.

My eyes slid close and I relaxed as much as I possibly could in my seat before the atmosphere in the class seemed to shift from random noise to purposeful whisperings. There was a presence that was starting to close in on me and I wondered who it was that wanted to talk to me when I knew everyone in this class knew that this was strictly my designated nap time. The hairs on my arm rose on end and the tingling sensation that had completely disappeared on my walk to the class came back full force. I clenched my eyes shut and pressed my warming fingertips hard into my arms. What in the hell is happening to me? I felt the heat climbing back up to my cheeks and I huffed in annoyance. A looming presence stopped in front of my desk and I had to swallow nervously when the tingling in my fingertips increased. I picked up my head and stared straight into smoldering chocolate brown eyes. Smoldering chocolate brown eyes that I had had an intense ten second staring session with not even twenty minutes ago. I felt my eyes widen comically as the boy in front of me suddenly smiled like he was a kid in a candy shop.

"Hi, my name's Seth Clearwater."

Yup, senior year definitely kind of sucked right now.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm not very good at this updating thing, so I apologize in advance if it takes me eons to upload a new chapter.

 **Disclaimer:** _I don't own anything but my own characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

I couldn't stop staring. My mouth was probably hanging so far down that it could've touched the floor. What in the world is going on today? Was this karma at work for calling my best friend and a teacher a cow?

Seth was still staring at me with that beaming expression, the large smile on his face never wavering. I think my eyes just got blinded by the intense brightness this kid was shining out of his face.

"Uh, hi?" I replied, my greeting coming out as a question because the situation was just too bizarre to treat normally.

If possible, Seth's smile grew larger, "Hi."

The tingling in my fingertips began to hum so violently that they started to burn up. I felt my heart rate shoot up and I desperately clenched down on my arms in an attempt to calm myself. I mean, who cares if probably one of the most sought out after boys in my grade was suddenly talking to me? Certainly not me! Regardless of the fact that he was a central member of Sam Uley's gang, there was no denying that Seth Clearwater was one attractive piece of man. I pressed my fingertips harder into my arm, my nails making crescent indents, to ignore the thought that just passed through my head.

"Was there, uh, anything you needed from me?"

I focused my stare on his nose because apparently staring into this guy's eyes did strange things to my body.

Seth's adams apple bobbed as he swallowed and cleared his throat, "I just um, wanted to introduce myself to you."

I felt my eye twitch in annoyance. Against my better judgement I locked eyes with him and narrowed my eyes dangerously. I've had at least one class with this guy every year since Freshman year, he and his gang of steroid buddies are _basically_ the rumor mill, and at least 99.9% of the female population here at La Push High are obsessed with him, the other 1% being the other obsessed girls who practically worshiped the ground that his friends walked on.

"Well thanks for introducing yourself to me," I replied sharply, "if that's all I was hoping to get back to my nap before Mr. Landess comes in."

Without even waiting for his reply I shifted my body so that it was facing the window and propped my hand up to cradle my head. I closed my eyes and made it a point to ignore the boy that was still stationed in front of my desk.

I had no idea why I was taking this whole situation so harshly. I mean, I _liked_ being an invisible, fade into the background, support character, kind of person, and with that kind of personality, I generally didn't mind if people didn't know who I was. There was just a strange kind of ache that lightly resonated within me when Seth made it clear that he had no clue who I was. I was so far under the radar to him that he felt the need to introduce himself to me, as if I wasn't in tune with the going-ons of La Push High School and it's rumor\gossip mill.

"I-I'm sorry, have I, um, upset you?" Seth stuttered, his voice coated in slight panic.

An image of a golden retriever with its ears flat on its head and its tail tucked between its legs flashed in my mind's eye.

"I'm very sorry I'm once again late to class! It won't happen anymore guys, promise!" Mr. Landess suddenly announced.

With my eyes still closed I heard Mr. Landess panting and heaving as he set up the materials he needed for today's lesson. Well there goes my first nap of the class. I crossed my arms and laid my head down, calming myself and trying my hardest to ignore the tinglings that were still humming throughout my body–especially the slight burning sensation happening on my fingertips. This day is turning out to be very strange and I still have two more periods to survive through.

"Er...Mr. Clearwater," Mr. Landess said hesitantly, "Would you mind finding your seat so we could begin class?"

My breathing caught in my throat, having forgotten that Seth was still standing in front of my desk. Now that I've honed into reality once again–I really need to stop blocking everything out in favor of talking to myself in my head–I felt Seth's prickling stare on the top of my head.

Steeling myself for the embarrassing display I would find myself in, I picked up my head and looked right into Seth's eyes again. My heart rate increased again and I felt an irrational fear that he would hear it pounding against my ribcage. There was a tinge of guilt in his eyes for some reason and after Mr. Landess called out to him he finally looked away and walked to his desk in the back. I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding in. I rubbed my palms together, a nervous tick I had developed ever since I turned 13 and had burned my palms during my annual family birthday party at grandma's. Why am I suddenly allowing Seth Clearwater of all people to have an affect on me?

Thankfully, Mr. Landess began class immediately and I was forced to focus on the notes he was writing on the board. Hey, just because I took every chance I could to sleep in this class–intentional and non-intentional–didn't mean I wasn't a good student who did her work. As I copied down the notes however, I could feel my focus splitting because of a certain stare that could probably drill a hole into the back of my head. My eye twitched in annoyance and I hoped to a God above that it wasn't who I thought it was that was slowly making a hole in my head.

* * *

"And throughout the _whole_ class period I felt his stare shooting arrows at the back of my head!" I relayed to Ashley after school as we walked to my locker.

Ashley raised a skeptical eyebrow, "Why is Seth Clearwater suddenly paying so much attention to you?"

"That's what I wanna know!" I exclaimed, slamming my locker shut with a tad too much force.

I smiled sheepishly at the people walking by and hoisted my gym bag onto my shoulder. Despite the fact that Ashley was so active and healthy, she adamantly refuses to join a school sport, claiming it to be one of the most annoying things ever because of the obvious hierarchy that usually rules over a sports team–especially a team consisted of self-centered teenagers who thought they were the shit just because they were involved in a sport.

"Well, if I were you, I would bask in this attention until he realizes what an absolute asshole you are."

Why exactly did I call this girl my best friend?

I elbowed her roughly and smirked in satisfaction when she coughed in pain. She threw me a glare and stuck her tongue out, "Hey, you didn't deny it."

I rolled my eyes at her, "I think elbowing you in the ribs is plenty evidence for denial."

She flipped her hair in true Ashley fashion and sent me a wink. I rolled my eyes at her again and bid her a goodbye as we split off–her to the parking lot where Andrew was already waiting by the curb in his car, and me to the girl's locker room where I would get changed for practice.

"Don't trip and crack your head open!" Andrew screamed from the car as Ashley hopped in.

I continued walking away, not even looking back as I waved a goodbye. My friends need to learn how to be better friends.

The sound of various girls talking flooded my ears as I pushed open the locker room doors. I greeted some of the girls I was friendly with before finding an empty spot towards the back of the locker room where I could get changed and place both my backpack and gym bag on the floor without crowding anyone else.

Quickly changing into a pair of Nike running shorts, a sports bra and a plain gray shirt, I laced up my running shoes and gathered my long black hair into a ponytail. I walked over to the connected bathroom and stood just behind a few girls washing their hands at the sink to look at the mirror.

I smoothed out my hair before tying it up in a high ponytail. I looked my reflection and suddenly wondered just what it was that Seth could've seen to prompt him to look at me with such an adoring expression. My long black hair, if not tied up in a ponytail, usually ended around my lower back. In true Quileute fashion, my black hair was stick straight and because of that, I had no volume in my hair. My lean body tilted to one side as I shifted my weight onto one leg. Although I wasn't as health crazed as Ashley, I did a fair amount of exercising and running track and field for 4 years had helped tone my legs and core. I wasn't what you would call skinny, I suppose healthy was a good way to put it...healthy and petite with my average 5 foot 4 inches of height.

I guess if there was anything to set me apart it would be my hazel eyes. Here on the Reservation, hazel eyes are a bit of a strange occurrence, the most dominant eye color around here being dark brown because of our Native American descent. My eye color has garnered disdain from most of the adults here on the Reservation and I can only assume it's because my eye color is associated with my unknown father. Years ago, when I was probably around the ages of 3 or 4, my mother had explained to me that my father had run out on us and that it was for the best because he was a bad man who had done a bad thing. Of course, being so young I couldn't grasp the situation entirely and thought nothing of it, only understanding that the pretty eyes I have were because of my father.

I blinked at myself in the mirror and paused in my train of thought. Well that topic seemed to have spiraled out of control. I shook my head to clear the rest of my thoughts and walked out the bathroom, picking up both my backpack and gym bag as I headed out the locker room.

"Alright, you know the drill already, 2 warm up laps!" Coach Johnson shouted as he leaned on the metal fence surrounding the track and football field with the other coaches.

"I see Johnson's lungs are still alive to see another practice." Layla, a senior long distance runner, muttered next to me as we lined up in two lines.

I laughed slightly, "You'd think he'd stop smoking after being the track and field head coach for 2 years now."

As all the newbies finally got into one of the two lines, two of the four team captains at the head of the lines started a light jog for the warm up laps. Being a varsity team member along with Layla, the warm up laps around the track were one of the easiest things in the world. The two of us kept up a small conversation as we jogged, laughing every once in a while when we noticed how out of breath the newbies were from the light pace the team captains had set.

"I'm really gunning for the State Championships this year. Last year I wasn't able to qualify because of that stupid girl from Forks who beat me by two seconds! I swear, when we have our meet with them, I'm leaving her in the dust!" Layla stated with conviction, as we continued our warm up for practice by following our team captains' lead stretches.

"Yea, I really want to get to State this year too. It'd be perfect to finish off my senior year by winning a medal." I replied, a dreamy smile pasted on my face at the thought of winning at the State level.

As Layla rambled on about her definite qualification into State Championships, I let my eyes wander around the track, only half my attention on what she was saying. I have a personal rule to not set my sights too far into the future. It's mostly something I inherited from my grandma though. She's a pretty superstitious person and always believed that if you focused too hard on something in the future, you would lose the road to it in the present. Therefore, I'll be focusing only on the upcoming meets before I set my sights on qualifying for States.

Suddenly, I felt the familiar sensation of a pair of eyes trained on my figure. My shoulders tensed up and the tingling that had subsided after I booked it from my History class, came back and settled itself around my body like it had never left.

I looked to the ever cloudy skies of La Push and sighed loudly, "Please don't let it be who I think it is." I muttered under my breath.

Bending down to touch my toes, I looked between my legs to see three familiar boys seated comfortably on the away side bleachers and clearly watching the team as we stretched. The tingling in my fingertips became heated again when I locked eyes with one particular boy.

Lo and behold, Seth Clearwater was once again staring.

I narrowed my eyes at him and then stood up straight once the team captains deemed our warm up over. Of course he would be here at practice watching me, his lackeys Brady and Collin tagging along. I felt like an insect under a magnifying glass with the way his piercing stare hit me. Didn't he do enough of this in class?

I looked to the sky again as the coaches started rallying their groups together. Gods above, please tell me I'm just overreacting and being too self-conscious.

A beat later, the Gods answered my plea by getting Collin to shout out my name repeatedly until I turned around to give him a murderous glare and a sharp wave of greeting. I blushed slightly as everyone turned to look at me with curious expressions.

Gods above, you were no help.


End file.
